Arts & Entertainment
‘Rent’ returns for 20th anniversary national tour
Tony award winning musical returns
(Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)
“Rent,” the acclaimed Tony Award winning rock musical, will return to stages across the nation in a 20th anniversary tour this fall for the 2016-17 season.
Based on the Giacomo Puccini opera “La bohème,” “Rent” tells the story of seven struggling artists who deal with poverty, squatting, drug addiction and other hardships during the AIDS epidemic in the late ’80s and early ’90s.
The original production premiered Off-Broadway in February 1996 before moving to Broadway in April 1996. The show won the 1997 Tony Award for Best Musical. The cast also featured future entertainment stars such as Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp, Jesse L. Martin, Adam Pascal, Taye Diggs, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Wilson Jermaine Heredia.
According to Playbill, Evan Ensign will direct using the vision of original director Michael Greif. Marlins Yearby will choreograph the new production.
“For the past 20 years, Rent has touched the lives of audiences around the world from Broadway to regional productions to high school auditoriums,” producer Stephen Gabriel said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to introduce a new generation to this timeless story of love, friendship and community.
Dates and cities on the tour will be announced later this year.
Celebrate the start of Pride month at the Queer Magic Dance Party at the Black Cat on Saturday, June 6. Doors open at 9 p.m.
There will be pole performances and demonstrations, a free photo booth with glitter bar, a queer vendor market, tarot readings by Skye Marinda Tarot, a drag performance by Sapphica, and dancing to a blend of smooth R&B, Afrobeats, hip-hop and pop by Slammer & Saba. Tickets are $20 at the door or $15 (plus fees) in advance, purchased here.
Local queer journalists will celebrate Pride this weekend at the annual NLGJA-DC Pride Happy Hour event at Trade (1410 14th St., N.W.) on Saturday, June 6, 3-5 p.m. Admission is free.
Out & About
DC Front Runners Pride Run 5K set for Saturday
Annual event held at historic Congressional Cemetery
The 14th annual DC Front Runners’ Pride 5K run/walk is set for Saturday, June 6 at historic Congressional Cemetery. The race starts and ends at the cemetery (1801 E St., S.E.) and passes through scenic D.C., along the Anacostia River trail and the fields at RFK campus. Registration ends Friday at 11:59 p.m.
Runners can pick up their race packets on Saturday from 7-8:30 a.m. at Congressional Cemetery; the race begins at 9 a.m.
The fee to run the 5K in person is $65 ($35 for those under age 20). Proceeds benefit local LGBTQ nonprofits, including Thrive DC, Wanda Alston Foundation, Blade Foundation, Ainsley’s Angels, SMYAL, and Team DC. Visit DCFrontRunners.org for more information.
‘Girlfriends’ wanted for murder in Silver Spring, Md.
Queer Magic dance party planned
NLGJA-DC Pride happy hour at Trade
DC Front Runners Pride Run 5K set for Saturday
Calendar: June 5-11
PHOTOS: Hagerstown Pride
Hungarian authorities lift Budapest Pride ban
Advocates push back on proposed FCC warning labels
Why Michelle Visage needs you to get ‘PrEP Wise’
